Andenes' Tale
by queenpearl
Summary: Based upon Real Life events and the events of "Whale Wars: Viking Shores". This is the story of the Nordkapp-class offshore patrol vessel, NoCGV Andenes who rammed the Sea Shepherd ship MV Whales Forever in 1994 to the present day as she works as a secret spy for Sea Shepherd. Other characters include MY Steve Irwin (FPV Westra), MV Bob Barker (Pol XIV/XVI), and others.
1. Chapter 1: Mistake and Redemption

Pol paced back and forth anxiously waiting for her mentor and commander to return. A day earlier, NoCGV Andenes (W322) had sailed out of Oslow on a mission. Her orders, stop a conservation vessel carrying a wanted fugitive and either sink her, or take her under tow. Whichever suited.

Andenes had promised she'd call in every hour but it'd been close to 3 now and Pol had yet to hear a word from her. She was beginning to worry. Had something happened to her?

She got her answer soon enough when Andenes sailed into Oslow with a pronounced limp. A blood trail was left in her wake from a serious wound on her port side on her weakest point.

"ANDENES!" Pol cried, rushing forward.

Andenes, eyes sunken into her face and lips bloodied, gazed up at her apprentice. She leaned gratefully against Pol's offered side.

"What happened?!" Pol demanded.

"R-rammed." Andenes rasped. "That conservation ship, rammed me..." Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell unconscious.

"Andenes? Andenes?!" Pol cried, nudging her mentor repeatedly to rouse her. All to no avail.

Andenes was sent to the medical berths and Pol was forced to wait outside, dredging the harbor as she frantically paced back and forth. She was scheduled to take the evening patrol that night but managed to get Senja to take it for her. Andenes' estranged sister was quite happy to put more distance between them.

It was a good 6 or 7 hours before a hospital ship emerged, granting Pol permission to see Andenes.

Pol's mentor looked awful. Gauze and bandages were wrapped underneath a brace that went around her entire midsection. Probably meant to support her broken ribs. A pair of IV's dripped a sugar-water solution and a blood transfusion respectively. Her eyes were closed, breathing rapid and shallow and a breathing mask covered her mouth to help her.

Anger rose up within Pol. A morbid thought to be sure, but she hoped the ship who did this was in a lot worse condition. "I'm never leaving you again." She whispered and she lowered her head to nuzzle the other ships near still flank.

...

To Andenes it was all fog but that fog gradually began to clear. As it did she became aware of a sharp pain in her side. _"Broken ribs."_ She thought with a grimace. She became increasingly aware of a presence beside her and a familiar scent filled her nostrils as she breathed in deep, feeling the weight of a breathing mask on her face.

She shifted a bit to let her apprentice know she was awake.

"Andenes." The relief in Pol's voice was instantly recognizable but so was the exhaustion.

Cracking an eye open, Andenes regarded her apprentice, concern in her gaze. Pol merely shrugged it off. She hadn't slept a wink since Andenes first arrived here 3 days ago, true. But that hardly mattered. In that time Andenes had been in a critical condition. She was only just now improving.

Pol brushed her lips over the top of Andenes' head and Andenes leaned into it with a purr.

"You had me worried." There was no note of accusation or anger in Pol's tone, merely concern.

Andenes wished she could speak but the damn breathing mask wouldn't let her. It was becoming quite uncomfortable too. Reaching up with a wire, the big ship tried to pull it off but a gentle touch stopped her.

"No, Andenes." Pol said gently, as though she was telling off an inexperienced cadet. "You need that. You can't breathe well on your own right now."

Andenes gave one whine of protest but gave no other resistance. She knew her apprentice was right. Now that she was awake she fixed Pol with a stern, motherly look. _"Rest."_ Her look said. She needn't even try to use words. Pol knew exactly what she was trying to say.

Sighing, the exhausted icebreaker gave in and curling up at her mentor's side she went right to sleep. Andenes rested her head over her as she always did and she could feel Pol's tense muscles relax for the first time in three days.

Andenes had time to think now. And she thought carefully about the events that had transpired to bring her here. She knew Forever's rudder was jammed thanks to a prop fouler she'd dropped earlier. It'd missed the big ships' props but snagged her rudder instead, locking it in place. Forgetting this in the heat of the moment, Andenes made a critical error, expecting the other ship to turn away as she'd done previously. Too late she remembered why Forever couldn't turn and now Andenes had the broken ribs and cracked hull frame to show off for her mistake.

"Of all the things." She grumbled to herself. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!"

Not only did she encounter a collision with another ship, she did so in international waters where said ship had right of passage. She knew this but her captain refused to listen to her. Now she's was paying the price.

 _"I hope the bastard gets grilled."_ She thought nastily. _"I hope he gets demoted. If I ever see him again it'll be too soon. Serves the son of a bitch right for getting me into this mess!"_

 _..._

While Andenes was expected to make a full recovery, the Norwegian Navy wasn't so sure they were willing to cover the cost of her repairs. At just 12 years of age, Andenes was scheduled for the auction block. She would've been sent to the scrapyard for sure if Pol hadn't intervened. And if Andenes had ever seen a ship mad... Pol was beyond mad, she was like raving lunatic and Poseidon did she ever give those brass a grilling!

 _"I taught her that."_ Andenes thought smugly. And she most certainly did too. Andenes was notorious for her backdoor scoldings to young cadets. Every newcomer knows not to cross her if they do bad. _"Now they'll know not to cross Pol too."_ Andenes smirked to herself.

Seeing her apprentice approach her, the big ship straightened, ignoring how her ribs creaked their protest at her action. _"Shut up!"_ She thought to them.

"Well done. It appears I've taught you well though grilling the brass is a far cry from grilling cadets." Andenes said.

"Not so much. You just need to use stronger words is all. Then they're no different than anyone else." Pol replied.

Both ships shared a laugh at that.

"I'll admit you scared even me and I was no where near you." Andenes said.

Pol ducked her head, a bit sheepish. Andenes nuzzled her. "Nothing to be ashamed off. I'm impressed."

This gave Pol more confidence and she licked Andenes' muzzle, leaning into her gently as she was careful to mind her weight against the healing ship. "You gave me quite the scare you know." She murmured.

"Part of the job description. We all risk our lives for our country." Andenes said.

"Was that really what you were doing though?" Pol asked and Andenes sighed. For a long time Pol had been a "secret admirer" of Forever's human owners, Sea Shepherd. Andenes had always pretended she didn't know about it but when Whales Forever, heading straight for Oslow, mysteriously turned away just outside of Norway's territorial waters, Andenes had a feeling she knew why. Pol had tipped her off. Before, Andenes would've just let it slide but this time something had to be done. Though she understood and sympathized even with her apprentice, she was required to deliver a sentence anyway. No one said how light or hard that sentence had to be though.

"Of course I was." Andenes replied. "Pol, recent events have made me take a new perspective on things. I would've been killed and if I was, the only ship with a rank high enough to take command would be Senja and she's no fit for it. As my apprentice, you should be next in line so I'm giving you a promotion to 1st lieutenant."

Pol's eyes brightened considerably. That was a double promotion, something that one did not expect to get unless they died.

Andenes however, wasn't finished. "However, there is a catch. I'm also sentencing you to 1 week community service for violation of communication and intel protocols."

Pol's eyes widened as she realized just what her mentor meant. Andenes' eyes twinkled. "You thought I didn't know? I've always known, Pol. Even had to cover for you on multiple occasions. I know it seems unfair but by law I couldn't let this one slide without some sentence." She said.

Pol wasn't angry though, she grinned hugely. 1 week community service was the lightest sentence one could give in a situation like this. Andenes did what she did because she had to, not because she wanted to. Despite nearly being killed because, in part, of Pol's breach of protocol, she secretly agreed with her apprentice's choice in sides. Still though, she found it difficult to believe that the hippie hater would want anything to do with promoting a conservation group.

"You've been, helping me." She whispered.

Andenes winked. "I'm not the hippie hater everyone thinks I am. As long as no one gets hurt but also as long as something gets done about those poaching bastards, I'll help in whatever way I can and politely look the other way when incidents occur."

"But you were rammed! Thought not intentional, a ship with a thick ice-class hull like Whales Forever could've sunk you!" Pol cried.

"Aye, but that was neither her nor my fault. As much as Whales' crew would enjoy claiming they wrecked me, they like I, have to concede that one to my captain. Arrogant bastard." Andenes sniffed. It took all Pol's willpower to keep from laughing.

"So?" She asked. "Secret spy buddies?"

Andenes rolled her eyes, giving her apprentice a rare, genuine smile. "Secret spy buddies." She promised.

...

20 YEARS LATER, OPERATION GRINDSTOP 2014

Andenes made a slow turn to port almost lazily as she circled around for the umpteenth time outside the small inlet. Her job was to protect this area from any conservation vessel that happened inside. But what the Faroese and the Norwegian Navy didn't know was that said conservation vessels had already been tipped off about her whereabouts and her intentions if they dared enter this inlet, by Andenes herself. For 20 years, Andenes had been secretly feeding information about various topics to Sea Shepherd, ranging from warship locations and possible confrontations to poacher fleet whereabouts. No one, not even Sea Shepherd, knew who their long lasting Norwegian insider was. No one except Pol of course.

Her former apprentice had finally gotten what she wanted, and landed a job as the deputy of the Sea Shepherd fleet. MY Steve Irwin, formally, FPV Westra, was a good teacher though Pol had little to learn about handling bad guys. She'd trained for it after all. The only thing she needed to relearn was to aim to injure the ship, and not kill. Andenes was more proud of her than she was allowed to say. The navy didn't exactly smile upon fraternizing, especially between one of their warships and a group that was number 1 on their list of environmental nuisances. A badge which, Andenes thought with a smug grin, Pol and the others wore with honor. If they were annoying the government, they were doing their job. They weren't exactly sent out to be liked by people now were they.

Andenes grimaced as her ribs groaned as she made another turn. Her old injury had never really healed properly and it acted up from time to time, particularly when she maneuvering. The icy wind blowing off the bluffs did not help either. In fact her whole body often protested to the cold weather. At 32 years, she was beginning to feel her age as the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis began to take root. Her joints often flared up and she had to get a special ointment to keep the swelling down.

Her radio crackled on a private channel and Andenes tipped her head to one side in mild curiosity as she answered.

"This is MY Bob Barker, MY Bob Barker calling NoCVG Andenes, NoCVG Andenes. Over."

Andenes smiled to herself as she recognized her apprentices' voice, deeper than it used to be as her vocal chords adapted to her age and various hull designs. "Well this is a pleasant surprise Pol." She said.

"Wish it was as pleasant as the news I have to give you." Pol grumbled.

A raised brow was the only outward indication Andenes would give of her concern. "What's happened?" She asked. _"What can I do."_ Was the question that was left unasked, but understood all the same.

"Westra's been impounded in Scotland and that just leaves Brigitte to patrol the islands." Barker growled.

Andenes had met Brigitte before. The little trimaran was lucky to be alive to say the least. She grated on the old ships' nerves like no other. Andenes wondered just how Pol put up with her.

She sighed. "I don't know how much sway I have here but I'll do my best to get her free, Barker. I promise you that." She said.

"Understood. Same Ailis as always?" Pol asked and Andenes nodded. Though she didn't answer verbally, Pol got the message. Andenes had learned that whenever she was helping Sea Shepherd, she used her fake name to get such help through. This time, it was a transfer of USD $10,000 to Sea Shepherd's account in the Netherlands. It was only a 10th of the amount Westra needed but every little bit counted and if the flagship had only a month before she'd be seized and sold at auction, Andenes knew that time was of the essence.

"I owe you." Pol began.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's a donation." Andenes chuckled and she could practically hear Pol's silent protests.

Eventually she said "I still wish you'd consider joining us."

"Though I'm barely half your age Pol, a ship with psoriatic arthritis wouldn't be of much use for much other than tropical campaigns and from what I understand, you need every ship you can get against those Japs down south." Andenes replied.

Pol sighed. "I know but..." She broke off, uncertain but Andenes understood.

"I'm happy to help in what ways I can. After all, someone has to play man on the inside." She said.

"True enough." Pol said. "Can I at least tell Westra the truth. After all these years you deserve some recognition."

"Recognition would get me killed, Pol. You know this." The gray ship rolled her eyes. "You can spread the word all you want when I'm dead."

Pol snorted. "Stubborn old mule." She grumbled.

"And you're as insistent as ever." Andenes shot back. "I'm fine where I am Pol, don't worry."

Pol, knowing she wasn't going to win this one, admitted defeat. "Call me if you hear anything." She ordered.

Andenes, trying and failing to hide a smile, answered "If I hear anything about anything from the brass, you'll be the first to know." She promised.

"I'll let you know if I hear something about Westra first. And if there's extra money left over, we'll put it to good use. Come to think of it I'm running low on replacement engine parts." Pol mused.

Andenes resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Did you blow a main?" She asked.

"No but I came close." Pol replied.

Andenes could practically see her now, lips pursed and green eyes narrowed in thought as she always had when she lied. But the warship decided to let this one slide, once.

"Just be careful out there. Be safe, be good, ah what am I saying. You're a big girl now. You should know the drill by now." Andenes laughed.

"True, I should. But if I did I wouldn't make a living out of ramming ships now would I?" Pol replied and both laughed at this.

"Hey the same goes for you. Keep your head down, and if anybody asks..."

Andenes cut her off. "I didn't see anything."

"You didn't see anything." Pol confirmed. Andenes could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I love you."

There was silence for a moment before Andenes' reply came through, so quiet Pol could barely make out the words but she could still make them out. "I love you too."

Then the line went dead.

Andenes turned her gaze to the cliffs, eyes narrowing as she saw the familiar fleet of boats make its way down the narrow inland, the telltale splashes of a pilot whale herd seen just ahead of them. Stifling a growl, Andenes opened a private commlink as her crew took over her engine plant and made her turn in the direction of the action, prepping her to act as a protection for the whalers.

"Brigitte, there's a hunt about to begin now. In a small inlet just west of Sandavagur..."


	2. Chapter 2: Renunited with Westra

Bridgett responded faster than Andenes had expected. The trimaran was on station within a matter of a few hours. By that time the Grind was already well underway. As she raced past the cruiser she gave her a warning snarl. Of course she didn't know Andenes was on her side but that fact wouldn't stop the cruiser from attacking if her crew ordered her to. She had to maintain secrecy. She had no choice. Reluctantly, she loaded blanks into her guns. Bridgett wouldn't know the difference but the scare factor was there. Andenes was well versed in Sea Shepherd's tactics so she knew this was a very effective means of getting people to do what you want without hurting them in the process.

Bridgett went to work at once, zipping around the poaching vessels like an annoying fly. Andenes could think of no other description that would fit her. She was annoying! She was lucky to escape her wrath so far. Andenes couldn't help but laugh as she watched several poachers get fed up with her antics and give up the Grind to chase her off. Bridgett, being much more nimble than them, merely veered out of their path and gave them the bird as she went by. This further served to aggravate them but Andenes knew that was exactly what Bridget wanted. Even if she was caught, captured, and taken to drydock, she would've achieved a tactical victory. She came to get the story of the Grind out to the world and even as Andenes watched that was taking place, courtesy of the camera's on board. Andenes, with her military background and training, had to appreciate various sorts of weapons and by far the most powerful was the camera. It was non-lethal in the physical sense, it maybe ruined some unlucky politician's career by capturing an embarrassing moment, but it never physically harmed or killed a person. Yet, it was the most effective weapon in Sea Shepherd's arsenal.

 _"Good job kid, keep it up."_ Andenes thought to herself.

Bridgett kept it up until night fall. She couldn't stop all the whales being killed but she managed to save a majority of the pod. On the way out she passed Andenes again.

"Several times there I thought you'd intervene." She said.

Andenes winced. _"So she noticed my inaction. I must be more careful from now on."_ She thought. Outloud she said "Several times I thought I'd have to. You were walking a pretty fine line there, missy."

"Who cares how fine that line is as long as you don't cross the line." Bridgett replied wisely and with a touch of smugness.

Andenes knew she was repeating words that Paul Watson had said but she kept quiet. Better to let her have her moment. "You have a point there." She conceded. "But know this. The second you step across that line, I will be forced to intervene do you understand that?"

"Aye, you're a warship with orders, protecting the islands and all that. Yeah, I get it." Bridgett sniffed. "See you around, um.."

"Andenes."

"See you around Andenes. I'll be very careful so you won't have to intervene." She said.

"Thanks kiddo. I don't like getting involved in things like this. It can get messy really quick." Andenes replied.

"I hear ya." The trimaran chuckled.

With a flick of her Australian ensign, she was off. Her powerful engines working up to 28 knots, creating a roostertail of water behind her. Andenes watched her go until she vanished over the horizon, then, using her private frequency, contacted Pol and gave her the latest news.

"Bridgett did a good job. She successfully held off a majority of the hunters." Andenes reported.

"That's good. That's very good. I'll be sure to give her praise for that when she gets back." Pol replied.

"You'll keep me out of it right?" Andenes asked.

"Andenes, you know I will. Why ask?" Pol said.

"Because slip ups can be fatal." Andenes replied.

"Still sore over that aren't you?" Pol sighed. "I'll be careful, don't worry. I nearly lost you once, I'm not about to make the same mistake again." She said.

"Good girl."

5 weeks later, Andenes got word that Westra had been freed from the impound and was on her way to the Faroes. Sure enough, 2 days later, Andenes' radar picked up a new contact. It appeared over the horizon as a ship resembling that of a patrol vessel. Andenes had seen many in her years of service. As this one drew closer, she could picked out details on it. The dazzle paint was an instant giveway as to the ship's allegiance. Andenes' first guess would be Pol but Pol was no patrol boat and she definitely did not sport the dazzle stripes this ship had, Andenes' former apprentice had a leopard pattern to her dazzle. But the biggest different between her and this new ship was the number on the bow. Pol didn't have a "77" the last Andenes looked. The 77 wasn't the ship's yard number, but rather it stood for the year Sea Shepherd was founded, 1977. Only one ship could carry that honor, the flagship.

Westra halted in front of her, amber eyes narrowed. But from annoyance or curiosity, Andenes couldn't tell.

"You must be Westra." Andenes said.

"That's MY Steve Irwin to you." Westra growled back, tone chilly.

"Very well then Irwin. While on names, mine is Andenes." Andenes answered.

"I know who you are." Westra said. "Just stay out of my way and there will be no problems."

"I'm merely hear to observe. As I told Bridgett, I will only intervene if you do something illegal." Andenes said, adopting a cooler tone.

"Then we understand one another." With a dip of her head, Westra sailed past her.

 _"So this is Westra."_ Andenes mused as she watched her go. _"She's an interesting sort. Cool but not without feeling. A perfect blend, a perfect flagship."_

Andenes knew Westra from years earlier, back when she was still a Scottish Fisheries Patrol Vessel in the 80s. Her long patrols carried her far into the North Sea in search of foreign ships and she often found herself wondering into the Norwegians' patrol area. Her past could be classified as rocky at best. Not even Andenes knew the full story. But she did know of her estrangement with her siblings and with her homeport in Scotland. Following that incident, Westra left her home and in tears, found her. Andenes let her stay with her in Norway for nearly a year before she decided it was time to move on. She escorted her to the border. That was the last time she ever saw her, until now.

Watching her work now, she was proud at how far she'd come. She went from being a lost young ship with no purpose to a seasoned veteran vigilante, full of a youthful energy a ship her age shouldn't have. Though not as nimble as Bridgett, a ship like her didn't need to be when facing down small ships like these. Her fangs worked as intimidation tools and if a boat got too bold and approached then Westra would crouch as though she was going to attack and growl a warning. That usually did the trick and sent the little blighters running! Even Andenes, watching from a far, resisted the urge to run at the sound. It wasn't the growl itself that was dangerous, it was what Westra had done with it. She used it to summon a ships' natural base instinct. The same found in every animal. Fight or flight. It was brilliant.

By nightfall the job was done and not a single pilot whale was killed, courtesy of Westra's sonar and whale sound efforts previously. Sailing back to the bay's entrance, the Sea Shepherd flagship held her head high in pride, smugness radiating off every inch of her hull. Andenes figured she'd earn the right though. What she did, was pretty impressive.

Westra sailed up to her. "What did you think of that?" She asked.

"That was, pretty cool Westra, pretty cool." Andenes answered.

Westra bristled at the breech in protocol but decided to let it slide this time. In a gentler voice she said "Andenes I, to see you like this..."

"I know. I know." Andenes' green eyes, bright round and sad, reflected the moonlight, making them luminous. She stretched her nose out and nuzzled the other ship. A questioned had been nagging Andenes for some time now. Having the chance to say it, she took the opportunity. Who knew when she'd have another chance. "Why didn't you come back?" She asked.

It was Westra's turn to look sad now as her amber gaze sweeped over the Norwegian. "I moved on." She replied.

"You know you were always welcomed in Norway." Andenes said. "I-I waited for you."

"I'm sorry." Westra's eyes closed as she looked away, her breathing hitched.

"I know you are." Andenes murmured. "But that doesn't change the fact that you hurt me."

Westra's head dropped, a whimpering sound escaping her as she struggled to fight back her emotions. Andenes, knowing Westra's nature and that she'd have to get her to crack to get through, pressed on.

"I kept up on your whereabouts, always hoping you'd come my way. But you avoided the North Sea region like a bitch!" Andenes chuckled. "I sent Pol to you, you know." She continued. "I sent her to you because I knew you'd be a good teacher to her, and always treat her right."

"Andenes, please..." Westra begged.

Andenes knew she was getting close now. "I always believed in you." She said. "I knew you'd go on to do great things. Not because of your prophecy, but because you were a good ship with a determined heart. You believed in what was right and weren't afraid to set about striving for it and helping others to strive for it as well."

Westra sniffled.

"Those years in which we'd cross paths every patrol, I cherished them and I cherish them even more today. For they're the only real memories of you I have." Andenes said. "My sisters were estranged then and they are quite happy to remain so now. But you, you were the sister I never had. I loved you like one and I have never, ever stopped loving you. Because you Westra, you are my one and only sister."

Westra broke down in tears, throwing herself on Andenes and clinging to her. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She wailed. She buried her bow in the cruiser's side.

Andenes held her, rocking her back and forth gently. "I forgive you, darling. It's okay, shh.." She whispered.

The two ships sat there in their sorrow and their love. They knew that come morning, they'd have to inevitably part ways again but for the time being at least, they could enjoy one another's company.

Come morning, Andenes and Westra said their last farewells before the latter had to head out again.

"Don't stay away so long this time." Andenes begged. "Remember, my berth's always open."

"I know but I doubt Norway would appreciate seeing me in their waters." Westra chuckled.

"Aye but there's always the border. Name the time and place and I'll be there." Andenes replied.

Westra smiled and leaned forward, giving Andenes a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you soon, I promise." She whispered and then she was gone.

Westra had never really been one for long goodbyes, Andenes reflected. She'd always stick around only for a short time, just long enough to say a few words, then leave. But the one constant about her was despite her roaming nature, she would always come back. And come back to Andenes she had.

Briefly the cruiser considered calling her back and telling her who she really was. That she'd been a spy for Sea Shepherd this whole time. But that could wait. Westra would be back and Andenes could tell her then. For now though, she'd found her way back to Andenes and for the aging cruiser, that was all that mattered.


End file.
